Loss of hearing is just a problem for the elderly, right?

15/10/17

Reconsider that thought, because exposure to noise – and not a person's age – is the main trigger of hearing loss. It's commonplace for older persons to suffer from hearing problems, but more younger people are affected by everyday noise as well. The post-war generation is going through skin cancer as a cause of all the sun tanning they did as young adults. And now this age group is also plagued by hearing deficiencies caused by being exposed to plenty of harmful noise.

Scientific groundwork made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) shows clearly that 16.7 percent of people in the US between the ages of 12 and 19 show signs of hearing loss as a result of exposure to too much noise. 42 million people between the ages of 20 and 69 suffer from hearing loss as a result of everyday sounds like for example traffic, listening to music via head phones, loud restaurants, concerts, or sporting events.

Even worse is that the younger age groups have no idea that hearing loss is irreversible. When loud noises destroy the exceptionally sensitive in-ear cells that make it possible for us to hear sounds, they do not rejuvenate as time goes by. Instead, the more frequently your ears are exposed to detrimental noise, the more of your cells stop working, thus ultimately causing permanent hearing loss.

Follow this advice to protect your hearing capabilities:

Turn the volume level down: Amongst the most common conditions is turning up the volume in your headphones and audio devices. And these gizmos are much more sophisticated than they were 30 years ago. Hence, when you listen to music, turn the sound level down!

Use ear plugs: Regardless of whether you're at a concert, in a music group, working in your garage, or working with noisy machinery, it is very important that you wear ear plugs. If you regularly attend live concerts, get a pair of ear plugs for musicians. They protect you against loud sounds, and let you hear precisely.

Reduce noise exposure: Many workout classes brim with high energy and loud music. Stand at a distance from the loudspeaker and constrain exposure to the loud noise. Just as before, ear plugs are at all times a great pick!